The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
Source: CIA World Factbook
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Displaying 71 - 75 of 95Act No. 517 of 2001 to amend the Environment Protection Act, the Act on Environmentally Hazardous Substances, and the Soil Protection Act.
Amendments of three important environment protection laws relative to the redistribution of tasks of law enforcement with the public administration.
Amends: Act containing rules relative to protection of the soil (Soil Protection Act). (2010-07-19)
Amends: Act containing provisions concerning general matters of environmental hygiene (Environment Management Act). (2012-03-19)
Decree No. 479 of 2001 amending the Decree use of Fertilizers of Animal Origin 1998, the Decree Quality and Use of Remaining Organic Fertilising Substances, and the Decree Discharge Open Cultivation and Livestock Breeding.
Regulation made under the Fertilizing Substances Act and amending the Decrees cited in the title for the purpose of further reducing the pollution of water and soil by nitrate compounds caused by animal manure. Rules for good agricultural practice are prescribed in the framework of Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.
Decree No. 509 of 2000 relative to the establishment of the Environment, Nature and Town and Country Planning Research Council.
The Environment, Nature and Town and Country Planning Research Council shall carry out research regarding aspects of the environment, town and country planning and nature conservation and restoration in the Netherlands. The Council may submit policy proposals to the Minister of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fisheries, shall coordinate research efforts in the sector, shall indicate new issues in the sector regarding the environment and nature conservation and carry out other tasks laid down in article 4.
Decree No. 492 of 2001 relative to publication of the text of the Discharge Decree made under the Soil Protection Act as amended recently.
Decree to regulate the discharge of solid waste. The text consists of 20 articles divided into 3 Chapters: General provisions (I); Requirements relative to obtaining a permit (II); Further provisions (III). Article 1 contains definitions. Article 2 defines the application sphere of the Regulation. Chapter II concerns the conditions and requirements which the Competent Authority may prescribe in relation with the application for and the granting of permits to discharge solid waste.
Decree No. 493 of 2001 relative to publication of the text of the Decree relative to Places of Discharge and Discharge Prohibitions made under the Soil Protection Act as amended recently.
This Decree prohibits the discharge of specified types of waste in discharge premises which from part of a specified category, including various kinds of organic waste from plants or animals. It also makes provision for power of the Competent Authority to attach conditions to the granting of a permit to discharge specified waste. (15 articles completed by 2 Schedules)